LOCAN DRINKS & WINES

LOCAL GREEK WINES

Greek wines have not really made it in the international wine market as wines of note, yet there are some good quality wines in Greece, indeed they have been making wine since Ancient Greek times. Certainly good grapes are grown in abundance all over Greece and the soil is ideal for growing them. Sun-dried sweet wines originated from every part of Greece.

Taste the worldwide famous:

SANTORINI 'SVinsánto, made by blending together the varieties of Assýrtiko and Aidáni. The luscious sweet wine, is made from sun-dried grapes and aged by law for at least three years. A good Vinsanto, however, can easily age for more than 100 years. Vinsanto wines (the name means “wine from Santorini” and not “holy wine,” as in the case of the similarly named vinosanto from Italy) have a caramel- and toffee-like aspect, with a dried- fruit dimension that makes them great partners to all sorts of sweets, especially chocolate. But what is really unique about Vinsanto goes back to the individuality of the Assyrtico grape to begin with. In comparison to other sweet Greek wines, Santorini's Vinsanto wines have a characteristic freshness, thanks to all that natural Assyrtico acidity.

Ksinómavro: The finest red variety of the Northern Greece. Depending on the time of maturation, it covers a wide range of tastes and nuances of red. Ksinómavro variety is one of the great divas of the Greek vineyard. It is capricious, demanding, and difficult to deal with, both in the vineyard and in the winery. The grape is capable of producing wines of stunning character and individuality and extraordinary complexity, with a seamless combination of intense extract and sheer finesse.

Ayioryítiko or Mávro Neméas: Coming from Peloponnese, it is the red wine that was supposed to be the favorite of the mythical king Agamemnon. Thanks to its deep red color, rich aroma, and velvet taste it is the ideal wine for red meat and sauces. With pronounced cassis and blackberry flavor and a rich, mature, velvety, luscious texture, the supple young Ayioryítiko wines are fruit-forward and are enjoyable early.

Mavrotrágano: An old red variety of SANTORINI, which has been brought back to life fairly recently. Fruity in taste, deep in color and medium in acuity, it is marked by its high proof.

Athíri: The white delight of the AEGEAN SEA. Its yellowish color with the reflections of green and its distinctive, subtle fruity taste render it suitable for many kinds of dishes. Its lovely floral aromas and mouthwatering attack wakes up the palate. Common to the islands of the southern Aegean and HALKIDIKI, in eastern Macedonia.

Assírtiko: Although cultivated in many other islands, Assírtiko reaches the apex of its originality on SANTORINI, but has successfully migrated to HALKIDIKI, EPANOMI, DRAMA, and Mount Pangeo in Northern Greece as well as to the Peloponnese. Bearing the island’s volcanic DNA, it is delightfully rich of aromas, ranging from citrus and apple to honey, raisin and incense. It maintains a high acidity even in fully ripeness. With crispy acidity and excellent minerality, its wines are rich and refreshing. The aromas suggest citrus, lemon blossom, orange zest and grapefruit.

Moshofílero: archaeological findings prove its age-long relation to the district of Arcadia (PELOPONNESE) and its plateau. It is a versatile variety used for making a whole series of wines, from dry to fruity sparkling ones – also known as a blanc de gris variety, meaning that its skin color can range from light pink to deep purple. The dry white Mantínia is the most renowned of them all.

Robóla: One of the most elegant Greek varieties, this relatively high-proofed and acute white wine smells of citrus fruit and it is best served fresh. Combine it with seafood, preferably at its birthplace, the island of KEFALONIA.

Savvatianó: Maybe the most widespread Greek wine variety with a history of over 2.500 years. The yellow-green white it produces leaves on your tongue the pleasure of peach, lemon, kiwi, banana, melon and strawberry in a rather low amount of acidity. It is the basis for the famous Retsína.

As desserts

• Mavrodáfni: After 2 to 8 years of maturation, this red wine comes from PATRA (IN PELOPONNESE) and KEFALONIA island. Vanilla, cherry, dried fruits and chocolate are the true spirit of this extensively exported wine variety.• Muscat: Although Muscat (Moschato in Greek) is cultivated in several places, the grape is historically associated with the straw-colored sweet wines of SAMOS island. Samos muscats are full-bodies, dense and concentrated, with aromas of apple and pear.

LOCAL GREEK DRINKS

GREEK COFFEE

The most popular Greek drink is the Greek Coffee - Elliniko Cafe. They will drink this for breakfast, during the day whenever they have a break, or catching up with friends,afternoon, or any occasion that calls for a break and a coffee.It is a thick beverage, the coffee is a coarsely ground powder, brewed with the water, creating a small froth on top. It is loved by all Greeks. Originally Turkish, it has long been adopted by Greeks and is now the national drink.

FRAPE COFFEE

Frappe - Iced Coffee is one of the popular Greek drinks, especially in the warmer months. In the last 10 years as coffee shops around the world have become big business and are now doing iced coffee drinks, Greece was making Iced Coffees for years before.Frappe is a very popular drink among young Greeks, who would all meet up at a local cafeneion for a couple of hours, slowly sipping their Frappes.

OUZO

Consumption of liquor is a common phenomenon in Greece and it is enjoyed a lot. Ouzo is considered to be, probably, the most famous liqueur in Greece. It has a very good taste and a flavour which is loved and preferred by all. It is basically a kind of brandy. It is strong in taste yet, people like to consume it.

TSIPOURO

Tsipouro is a liquor produced only in Greece. It is similar to Italian grappa as it is a distilled spirit made using the left over must from pressing wine. Tsipouro can have a very harsh flavor, though some are smoother than others. Tsipouro is most enjoyed as an after-dinner

aperitif and is served in a shot glass.

TSIKOUDIA OR RAKI

Tsikoudia, also known as raki, is pretty much the same as tsipouro, except raki is unique to the Greek island of Crete. If you’re anywhere else in Greece, you order tsipouro, though some places also have raki on hand, but if you’re in Crete you order raki or tsikoudia. The aroma of raki is stronger than tsipouro.

MASTICHA

The liqueur known as Masticha of Chios is produced on the island and is the outcome of the distillation of genuine mastic, a process that distinguishes it from a plain mastic liqueur. It is traditionally and exclusively produced in Greece, on the island of Chios in particular. This traditional Greek liqueur shows enormous potential in the international market, particularly after its exclusive production in Greece was secured by EU legislation.